THE PEOPLE

DIET

Most classes of the people eat three times a day, at about 8 in the morning, at midday and after dark. The morning meal (nyahri) is commonly eaten in the held and the two others (jevans) at home. At midday they come home from work, bathe and take their meal having a rest for about two hours in all. A little hut is made in front of the house and in this a stone slab is placed on which they sit and wash themselves, nearly always using hot water. After finishing work the cultivator again comes home and has his evening meal and then after a rest at about 10 o'clock he goes again to the field if the crops are on the ground and sleeps on the mala, a small elevated platform erected in the field to protect the crop from birds and wild animals, occasionally waking and emitting long-drawn howls or pulling the strings which connect with clappers in various parts of the field. Thus for nearly tight months of the year, the cultivator sleeps in the fields and only during the remaining period at home. Jovar is the staple food of the people and it is eaten in all the three meals. It has no husk and is ground in the ordinary manner after which it is passed through a sieve. The smaller particles which go through make a fine flour known as peeth while the coarser or only half-ground grains remaining in the sieve are called Kanya. By the ordinary method of grinding, about half of each quality is obtained, but by grinding a larger quantity of grain at one time, the work is less thoroughly done and the quantity of coarse grain is naturally increased. The line flour or peeth is made into dough with hot water and baked into flat thick capatis or cakes known as bhakaris which weigh more than half a pound each. The kanya or coarse flour is boiled in water like rice. Both kinds of food are commonly eaten at the midday and evening meals, but in the morning only the cakes or bhakars are prepared, no doubt because they are more easily cooked. The boiled pulse of arhar (cajanus indicus) is commonly eaten with jowar. The cakes are either dipped in cold linseed oil or eaten dry. The sameness of this diet is varied by different vegetables of which the most important are brinjals, bhendi (hibiseus esculentus), turai (luffa-acutangula), semi, a sort of bean, and the leaves of ambadi plant (Aibiscus cannabinus). These are usually boiled and then mixed into a salad with linseed or til oil and seasoned with salt and powdered chillis. When no other vegetables arc available, the pulse of moog (phaseolus mango) is ground into flour and small tablets are made from it. The kunbis, are very fond of onions and garlic also which are chopped and boiled or eaten raw. Butter milk, when available, is mixed with the boiled jowar after it is cooked, while wheat and rice, butter and sugar which are delicacies, are reserved for festivals. As a rule only water is drunk.

Except Brahmans. most of the castes in Yavatmal have no objection to meat or fish, but both do not form part of the daily diet. The dietary of the urbanites and higher castes is much more elaborate and systematised. Besides the usual cereals, pulses, vegetables and oils, a vegetarian includes in his diet dairy products like milk, butter, curds, buttermilk, ghee (clarified butter) and vanaspati (hydrogenated oils) on a liberal scale. The morning tea with a light breakfast is followed by two meals, one between nine and eleven in the morning and another between seven and nine in the evening.

Generally, Brahmans in Yavatmal, whatever their sub-caste, eat alter wearing only a clean dhotar. The custom of changing into silk dhotis for meals has almost died out except in priestly families. IT is still partially preserved for festive occasions. Meals are usually taken in an inner apartment adjoining the kitchen. A separate little square is marked for each person and none is supposed to touch one another while eating. Everybody sits on a pat a low wooden stool, and in some places it is customary to place another pat over which a plate is placed. Rice, wheat, jowar, pulses are generally the materials of both meals, wheat and jowar being preferred at the second or evening meal. Curds are always eaten. Besan or gram flour fried with onion, chillis, cloves and other spices and oil is a favourite dish. With rice is taken some ghee, varan or liquid split pulse and a curry or amti or split pulse boiled with onions, spices, salt and tamarind or kokam. Curds, milk and butter-milk (tak) are indispensable with higher castes, particularly Brahmans. Savouries like catnis. rayatas, kosimbirs, lonace, papad and sandge are the usual adjuncts to a meal among the well-to-do.

The dinner is served in three courses, the first of boiled rice and pulses with a spoonful or two of ghee, the second of poli or capati, sugar and ghee with salads. The vegetables are served with each course. The plate is not chanced during the dinner. In each course the principal dish is served in the centre of the plate, the vegetables and curries (in cups) are arranged on the right and on the left, the salads, a piece of lemon and ginger and some salt arc served. In the more advanced communities, a table cloth, white or coloured is spread on the ground and the dishes are placed on it. The people sit round it on stools and take their food from dishes placed on the ground. Some well-to-do families of the upper class have nowadays taken to dining on tables.

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